Technology Boosts Breast Cancer Detection at The Queen's Medical Center

The power of precise imaging technology has been harnessed to better examine women at risk for breast cancer. The Queen's Medical Center has installed an advanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system that provides physicians with higher quality images, allowing them to more confidently diagnose and accurately intervene in breast cancer patients. The new system, the Sentinelle Vanguard® breast MRI coil, is used with Queen's existing MRI technology.

Because of its high resolution images of soft tissue, MRI has become the principal tool used to diagnose many diseases. However, because of the nature of breast anatomy, it can be difficult to obtain adequate images with normal MRI positioning for certain women who are at greater risk for breast cancer and for those who have a personal history of the disease. The new technology provides consistent, high quality breast images, and also allows for enhanced underarm coverage, which results in detecting lesions that may not be seen by conventional MRI tabletop coils. The patient lies face down on the MRI platform on memory foam supports, which allow the coils to surround the breasts. Biopsies of suspicious areas can also be taken by a radiologist during imaging.

Queen’s Staff Makes a Difference at Lunalilo Home

In honor of The Queen’s Medical Center’s 150th anniversary, 150 Queen’s ‘ohana (family) recently volunteered time on Make a Difference Day to help another community organization: Lunalilo Home. Queen’s staff, family members and others painted large portions of the interior and exterior of the adult residential care home and landscaped its porte cochere area with native plants. Lunalilo Home was established by the will of high chief William Charles Lunalilo, who reigned for just over a year as king of the Hawaiian Kingdom when he died in 1874. Although Queen’s participates in many health-related causes, the organization has recently sought broader ways to give to the community at-large, especially to those with roots in Hawai‘i.

Leaders of both Queen’s and Lunalilo Home felt a stronger alignment of the organizations should be developed, and that kokua (help) should be renewed since both were founded by ali‘i (royalty). Queen’s and Lunalilo Home also have another link in the past. King Lunalilo bequeathed a portion of his Waikiki lands to Queen Emma, who in turn wrote her will to benefit The Queen’s Hospital. These lands now help support the mission of The Queen’s Medical Center to perpetuate the health of the people of Hawaii and to recognize the special health needs of Hawaiians.